Geriatric Quick Consult      Medications to Avoid in the Elderly      Don't #3

Commonly used drugs with moderate to high anticholinergic properties
  • Antiarrythmics:
    • Disopyramide - Norpace®
    • Procainamide - Pronestyl®
    • Quinidine - Quinaglute®, Quinidex®

  • Antiemetics:
    • Dimenhydrinate - Dramamine®
    • Meclizine - Antivert®, Bonine®
    • Trimethobenzamide - Tigan®
    • Prochlorperazine -Compazine®

  • Antihistamines:
    • Azatadine - Optimine®
    • Chlorpheniramine - Chlor-Trimeton®
    • Clemastine - Tavist®
    • Diphenhydramine - Tylenol PM®, Sominex®, Benadryl®
    • Hydroxyzine - Atarax®, Vistaril®
    • Promethazine - Phenergan®

  • Antiparkinson Agents:
    • Benztropine - Cogentin®
    • Biperiden - Akineton®
    • Procyclidine - Kemadrin®
    • Trihexyphenidyl - Artane®

  • Antipsychotics:
    • Chlorpromazine - Thorazine®
    • Clozapine - Clozaril®
    • Mesoridazine - Serentil®
    • Olanzapine - Zyprexa®
    • Promazine - Sparine®
    • Quetiapine - Seroquel®
    • Thioridazine - Mellaril®

  • Antispasmotics:
    • Atropine - Sal-Tropine®
    • Belladonna alkaloids - Donnatal®, Bellatal®, Barbidonna®
    • Dicyclomine - Antispas®, Bentyl®
    • Flavoxate - Urispas®
    • Hyoscyamine - Anaspaz®, Levbid®, Cystospaz®, Levsin/SL®
    • Oxybutynin - Ditropan®
    • Scopolamine
    • Tolterodine - Detrol®

  • Skeletal muscle relaxants:
    • Carisoprodal - Soma®
    • Chlorzoxazone - Parafon®, Forte®
    • Cyclobenzaprine - Flexeril®
    • Methocarbamol - Robaxin®
    • Orphenadrine - Norflex®

  • Tricyclic Antidepressants:
    • Amitriptyline - Elavil®
    • Desipramine - Norpramin®
    • Doxepin - Sinequan®
    • Imipramine - Tofranil®
    • Nortriptyline -Aventyl®, Pamelor®

    • **preferred TCA for use in the elderly because it is has the least anticholinergic effects

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